Nursing Leadership Workforce Compendium

New Release! AONL's Compendium 2.0

A Message from AONL Leaders

Developed through the contributions of nurse managers, academic leaders and health system executives across the country, AONL’s Compendium 2.0 builds on the foundation of our original compendium by elevating proven, practical strategies that strengthen nursing leadership and improve workforce sustainability. 

Measurable results — including reduced turnover, improved clinical and patient experience outcomes and increased leader engagement — back the real-world examples that ground this work.

To make Compendium 2.0 as accessible as possible, we are releasing it in three stages, beginning with chapters focused on successful academic-practice partnerships; a healthy work environment; and total rewards — where organizations align salary, benefits and incentives to support and develop the nurse leaders of tomorrow.

In September, we will release two chapters: one focused on talent attraction and recruitment, and another on retention, addressing how organizations create environments where nurses choose to stay and grow.

Our final release, in October, will address creating a culture of inquiry — where leaders model the behaviors needed to question assumptions and improve care and leadership — and leadership development, exploring how organizations grow the "leader within," invest in transition-to-practice programs, offer advancement pathways and create systems for support, mentorship and succession planning.

Whether you’re reading the first chapters or returning for later releases, we hope this work not only informs your strategies but also inspires new ideas, bold questions and shared accountability for shaping the future of care.

Claire Zangerle, DNP, MBA, RN, FAAN, FAONL
Chief Executive Officer, AONL
Chief Nurse Executive, SVP, AHA

Deborah Zimmermann, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
President, AONL